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As Wanda, Carrot, and the Straw Hat Pirates head to see Nekomamushi, Brook tells them the reason behind Sanji and Caesar Clown's disappearance, revealing that Pekoms and Capone Bege of the Big Mom Pirates found their way to Zou, which was Pekoms' homeland. As the Curly Hat Pirates continued helping the minks, Pekoms had a happy reunion with his kinfolk. Sanji and Brook confronted the two Big Mom Pirates, and Pekoms revealed that they had a mission that would tear the Straw Hats apart. However, he was so grateful to them that he would willingly fail the mission. This angered Bege, who barraged his comrade in the back with rapid-fire gunshots.

As Wanda, Carrot, and the Straw Hat Pirates go off to see Nekomamushi, Wanda remarks on the full moon in the sky, saying she is glad it is covered by clouds. Luffy then says that Sanji and Caesar Clown were still present on Zou in her story, asking her what happened to them later. Wanda hesitates, and Brook decides to explain it himself. He tells the Straw Hats that most of the minks were not told about this, and this may be hard for them to hear. He then reveals that Sanji is likely not coming back, which angers Luffy, who pointed to the note Sanji left, which states that he would be back. However, Nami and Brook reply that the situation is far more complicated than what the note suggests, and that it may have been better to tell the story before showing the note.

Brook then tells the story, explaining how when they were being pursued by the Big Mom Pirates, the enemy pirates overheard Luffy's call to the Sunny crew revealing that their destination was Zou. Although Zou was a Phantom Island that could not be found with a Log Pose, one of their Big Mom Pirates was from the island, and so two days ago their ship docked at Zou. On the ship, Pekoms contacted Big Mom, telling her to leave the expedition to him as he was a native Zou. Later, Pekoms and Capone Bege made it onto Zou and into the Mokomo Dukedom, where they discovered the destroyed Kurau City. Pekoms flew into a rage upon seeing his hometown destroyed, and looked around for survivors but found none, causing him to scream in anguish.

Inside the Rightflank Fortress, Sanji prepared meals for the minks, who loved them, and afterwards he went out to interact with the female minks. As Chopper, Miyagi, and Tristan treated patients, Sanji nuzzled with female minks in their traditional greeting known as "minkship", but wanted nothing to do with male minks, leaving them disappointed. Meanwhile, Wanda outfitted Nami with a dress, revealing that exchanging clothes was a big part of mink culture and that the dress was a natural treasure, causing Nami to get excited at the prospect of selling it for big money. Sanji then saw Nami in the dress, causing him to race at her in excitement, but she punched him out of the fortress. Meanwhile, Chopper asked Brook where Momonosuke was, and Brook revealed that he was still in his room, though it was for the best that the minks not see him in his human form. Caesar Clown said that they should abandon him and leave the island as soon as possible, but Chopper got angry at the suggestion, telling him to continue working on treatments for the minks. A mink came to collect treatments from Caesar, but the scientist, mortified at his name being associated with humanitarian treatment, disguised himself. The mink told Brook that his fans were outside, which were dogs looking to chew on the skeleton, and Brook was not inclined to go out and meet them.

At the Fortress gate, the two guards braced themselves as two strangers came up to them, but realized that one of them was Pekoms. Pekoms bawled with happiness as he saw his fellow minks alive, and embraced the two guards. He asked if the Straw Hats had done the damage to the Mokomo Dukedom, but ultimately concluded that they did before the guards could correct him, causing him to go into a fit of rage. Pekoms then entered the Rightflank Fortress, where he reunited with his family and more of his kinfolk. The minks revealed to him that Jack and the Beasts Pirates had destroyed the country while the Straw Hats had saved them, causing Pekoms to curse Jack. The Straw Hats saw Pekoms and Bege from a balcony, and Caesar grew afraid and asked for the Straw Hats' continued protection, but Sanji replied that since Luffy defeated Doflamingo, Caesar was no longer of any worth to them as a trump card. Out of curiosity, Sanji asked why the Big Mom Pirates wanted Caesar, and the scientist replied that he had taken money to fund a commission Big Mom gave him, but he spent it on other things; Sanji replied that he deserved what was coming. Caesar offered to assist Sanji in eliminating the Big Mom Pirates, and the Curly Hats realized that they may be in trouble as well since Luffy had declared war with Big Mom on Fishman Island. However, Sanji refused Caesar's advances, and told Brook to come with him and the rest to stay as he made eye contact with Bege.

Back in the present, the Straw Hats remark on two Yonko crews being on Zou in such a short timespan, and Luffy wonders if Sanji fought Pekoms, as he does not really care due to having declared war on Big Mom. Brook continues his story, revealing that Sanji and Brook went out with Pekoms and Bege. Sanji was willing to face the two pirates head-on, but stated that if a fight was in order they would have to do it outside of Zou. However, a tearful Pekoms embraced Sanji, shocking the Straw Hats and Bege. Pekoms thanked Sanji for saving his people, and revealed to him that in addition to capturing Caesar, their crew had another mission that would likely tear the Straw Hats apart. However, out of gratitude, he was willing to purposely fail that mission as long as they got Caesar. Bege reprimanded Pekoms, but the mink silenced the newer member of the crew, saying he would take any punishment Big Mom gave him. This caused Bege to grow angry and call Pekoms a coward as he raised his hand toward the kneeling mink's back. Suddenly, a rapid stream of bullets emerged from Bege's hand, striking Pekoms in the back.